Bio 350: Advanced Microbiology
Spring 2015
Tuesdays - 12 noon -1:40 pm, MR 1
Professor:
Dr. Anu Janakiraman
Office: MR 616
Email: anuj@sci.ccny.cuny.edu
Office hours: By appointment only
Laboratory Technical Assistant:
Andrew Blake (ablake@ccny.cuny.edu)
Laboratory Teaching Assistants:
Varan Singh (varanjoyt@gmail.com)
Course learning outcomes:
1. What are microbes? How are microbes related to other living organisms? How do they differ from
each other?
2. Comparative microbial metabolism.
3. Molecular genetics of model microbes.
4. Tools and techniques needed to study microorganisms.
5. How do microbes affect us in our personal lives?
6. How do microbes interact with each other and other living beings?
In addition, students will read and evaluate primary literature articles and become familiar with
experimental methodologies used to solve research questions in microbiology.
Course assessment tools:
Three lecture exams (45%)
Three laboratory exams (30%)
Lab report (15%)
Identification of two bacterial unknowns (5%)
Class participation (5%)
Text:
No textbook is required for the class. A text that can be referred to for detailed reading is “Brock Biology
of Microorganisms” 14th edition. Pearson/Benjamin Cummings by Madigan, M.T., J. M. Martinko, P.V.
Dunlap, and D.P. Clark. 2011.
The lectures are compiled from many sources and will be posted on Blackboard.
Additional resources:
Syllabus, Lecture slides PDF, lab report format instructions, and sample exam questions will be posted
on CUNY Bio: 35000 Blackboard site. Relevant primary literature articles will also be posted on BB as
and when necessary.
Syllabus is subject to change:
The course syllabus and schedule may change due to various circumstances. You are responsible for
any announcements made during class, even if you were absent.
Attendance:
If you are absent for two or more lectures you will miss a substantial portion of the class. You are
responsible for obtaining the information on your own for any missed lectures. Labs cannot be made
up. If you miss two labs you will automatically be dropped from the course.
Course policies:
Cell phone and pager sounds are disruptive to the class and must be silenced (turned off or set on
vibrate mode). Please be considerate of your classmates; if you must answer the phone, leave the
room before doing so.
Exams:
Missed lab and lecture exams may NOT be made up unless there is a compelling reason. You must
provide appropriate documentation for your absence and the makeup test will be in an essay
format. If you are absent for a lab or lecture exam, you WILL receive a zero.
Evaluation of your performance:
Lecture exams, laboratory exams, lab report, identification of lab unknowns, and class participation will
be taken into consideration for determining the final grade.
Academic integrity:
The CCNY policy on academic integrity will be followed. Document is posted on Blackboard as well as
the CCNY website (CUNY policy on academic integrity—link is at the bottom of the home page). Make
sure you have read the details regarding plagiarism and cheating, in case you are not clear about the
rules of the college. Cases where academic integrity is compromised will be prosecuted according to
these rules.
Lecture topics and schedule:
Lecture Date
Feb 03
Feb 10
Feb 17
Feb 24
Mar 03
Mar 10
Mar 17
Mar 24
Mar 31
Apr 03-12
Apr 14
Apr 21
Apr 28
Apr 30
May 05
May 12
May 19
Topic
Introduction to microbiology
Cell structure
Microbial metabolism
Microbial cell cycle and cell growth
LECTURE EXAM 1 (during class period)
Environmental sensing and signaling
Transport and secretion
Replication, Transcription, and Translation
Regulation
Spring break
LECTURE EXAM 2 (during class period)
Bacterial Genetics
Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
Host-pathogen interactions
Overview of Viruses
Basics of molecular immunology
FINAL EXAM (10:30 am -12:45 pm, MR 1)